Date Change: Birthday Party
The Connection Ministry announces that the monthly Birthday Bash scheduled for April 20 will be held on April 27.

Office Administrator Away April 12-20
Barbara Creasy will be away from the office this coming week. It is okay to email, but it will not be addressed until she returns. For more urgent emails, contact the Volunteer Desk.

Nerd Nite – Louisville / First U Evening Out  See the RE Connection April 27
Thursday, April 24 from 7 to 8:45 pm (6:30 doors open)
Gravely Brewing Co. / 514 Baxter Ave., Louisville 40204
As shared in last week’s “What’s UUp?” Did you sign up?  First U members and friends (and anyone you want to bring along) will gather at Nerd Nite Louisville – a monthly meeting at Gravely Brewing Co., There are 3 presentations on topics that each presenter is passionate about. Think of Ted Talks…but there’s beer. The topics are kind of a pot luck for the brain.
Reserve tickets ASAP and contact the office by April 22. The “fair share” price is $20. You can get a ticket for free if you want. If you want to pay something, get a free ticket and add a donation. Food and beverages are sold separately at your table.

The UU Gathering: Online Monday, May 12
We come together across our faith community for spiritual grounding, political analysis, and to build the connections needed to take collective action as we continue to fight for a world where all people can thrive.  Join us every at 8pm E  on the Second Monday of the month. Click the March 10 link to hear a meeting. Join in:  May 12   June 9

In this worship service, we will celebrate Easter as we learn more about the historical and theological significance of one, Jesus of Nazareth. Historically, Houston Smith, renowned world religion scholar and author of The World’s Religions says this about the actual biographical details we have about Jesus. They are meager: He was born in Palestine, probably around 4 BC, and grew up in Nazareth. He was baptized [an ancient Jewish rite] by a prophet, John, who was electrifying the region with his proclamation of God’s coming [kingdom]. In this early 30s he had a teaching and healing career that lasted between one and three years. In time, he incurred…the suspicion of Rome, which led to his crucifixion.

Join us for this worship service in which we explore how Jesus became Christ became Superstar. Also, we will have our traditional Easter Egg Hunt after the service.

For the zoom link, Click here. The Meeting ID is 4508929882 if you can’t attend in person.  You will not need a password. Contact the volunteer desk if you have trouble getting online.

With a nod to the documentary, Call Of The Forest – The Forgotten Wisdom Of Trees, featuring scientist and writer Diana Beresford-Kroeger, we will explore our evolutionary and spiritual connection to trees in honor of this month’s celebration of Earth Day. With our congregation’s 7th Principle Team, we will also investigate the actions, small and large, we can take to bring balance to our planet’s eco-system.

Weather permitting, we will participate with our neighbors, Calvary Episcopal Church, in a Blessing for Trees. The Blessing will take place in our parking lot during the worship service. Hence, wear comfortable shoes. Folks can also remain in the sanctuary’s silence or view the Blessing from the entryway.

Calling All Poets!
We will be honoring verse on May 25 during the service, “Imagination: the Gift of Poetry.” During this service, a handful of poets from our very own congregation will be sharing their poems. So if you, too, have a small poem you have written we encourage you to spread your wings and share it with your welcoming First U community at a Poetry Slam during the coffee hour after the service! If you would rather have someone else do the public speaking, consider asking a friend to read your poem aloud for you. Seriously consider reciting your work, though- poetry comes alive when shared aloud!

If you have a poem already written or can get one ready for the last weekend of May, RSVP for the Poetry Slam! Please time yourself speaking the poem aloud, and send your RSVP and the timed length of the poem to the office. We’re looking for pieces that are 3 to 5 minutes long, but please email to ask any questions.

April 27, 2025 – Nerd Morning, A Nerd Nite Recap
We’re hitting the road. For those willing and able, we’ll meet at Gravely Brewing Company on Thursday evening April 24 (people start arriving around 6:30 pm) for the monthly Nerd Nite. (It’s like three 20-minute Ted Talks, but with beer.) Someone will take notes on Thursday to recap things on Sunday for those who don’t make it to Nerd Nite and then we’re going to try to make sense (without beer) of that learning experience on our terms as UUs.
This could be amazing. It might be a fiasco. Either way, can you afford to miss it?

May 4, 2025 – Chalice Circle One-Time Sampler (Imagination)
Are you still curious about our small group ministry program, “Chalice Circles,” and don’t know enough about it to commit to it? Are you uninterested in commitments but would still like to take it out for a test drive? If you have any curiosity about small group ministry and are not already active in a Chalice Circle, join us for a one-time, no obligation 45 minute session on May’s worship theme, “Imagination.” (If you’re in a circle and want to join, you’re welcome as long as there’s room.)

Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice
If you want to help us grow the base of white people showing up for racial justice in partnership with the multiracial struggle for a more just society come join us! We must work collectively to build the people power we need. We encourage you to consider getting involved in one action this month! LSURJ monthly meetings are the second Wednesday of each month from 7-8pm. We focus on Political Education, Leadership Development, Action and Base Building. To get our newsletter and email alerts, click here.

Bad Weather Office Policy: When JCPS cancels classes, the church office is also closed. When in doubt, please call first to make sure someone is available if you need in the building. (That’s a good idea, no matter the weather!)

Fake Emails Continue to Surface
Phishing emails that claim to come from someone you may know about and are asking for information continue to arrive. A common email asks for directory information  or information about staff or a church member, whether online or the phone version. Even if it claims to be from a church staff or Board member, do not respond if you aren’t positive.. They use a different email address but you may not know that. Do Not give out that information. A true request must be confirmed through  a secondary line of communication such as a verbal request. If you are unsure of whether or not an email is from the person it claims to be from, feel free to forward it to Building Superintendent, Kristi Drehmel, or the Office for review.